April happenings at Customs House Museum and Cultural Center

CLARKSVILLE, TN – Here is everything happening at Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in the month of April.

Exhibitions

Month of the Military Child Art Show, April 1 – April 21| Lobby.  April is Month of the Military Child, a time to applaud military families and their children for the daily sacrifices and the challenges they overcome. In partnership with the USO, this special exhibit features selected artwork by local children with an active-duty parent or guardian.

Wood, Paper, Paint: Collecting Art for 40 Years, April 2 – June 2| Crouch Gallery. Since opening in 1984, the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center has been dedicated to collecting and preserving art. To celebrate the Museum’s 40^th birthday, experience a curated selection of artworks from the permanent collection.

Veterans Coalition Community Art Show, through April 7 | Memory Lane. The Montgomery County Veterans Coalition advocates for our Veteran community through education, collaboration and resourcing. Celebrate the rich tapestry of military service through the lens of artistic expression at the 2024 MCVC Community Art Show. This expo features a diverse collection of artworks created by Veterans, each piece telling a unique story of resilience, sacrifice and the profound impact of their service.

Rising Voices 3: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters, through April 21 | Kimbrough Gallery. The $50,000 Bennett Prize is awarded biennially to a woman fine art painter whose principal artistic focus is figurative painting in a primarily realistic style. Rising Voices 3 is comprised of paintings by the 2023 Bennett Prize finalists, including Prize winner Shiqing Deng.

Ayana Ross: The Lessons I Leave You, through April 21 | Jostens Gallery. Ayana Ross collects stories. For inspiration, she draws from family, current events, history, art, her experiences growing up in the American South and biblical stories viewed through a contemporary lens. Touching on universal themes, Ross’ paintings offer an opening for viewers to find themselves and their own experiences. Ross was the recipient of the 2021 Bennett Prize.

From Here to There: Presented by Google, through April 24| Orgain & Bruner Galleries. How do we move things on land, sea and air? Through 10 hands-on interactive exhibit stations that include a hovercraft chair, a canal lock system, pneumatic air tubes, pulleys, levers and hydraulics, guests can learn more about the science of how we get from here to there.

Tonya Fleming: Up Close Far Away, through April 28| Harvill Gallery. Photographer Tonya Fleming presents a series of scenic landscapes, tying together the physical distance among the images with the emotional distance felt in each work.

Events

First Thursday Art Walk, April 4, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.   Free to the public.  Mark your calendars for April’s Art Walk! The Museum offers free admission during First Thursday Art Walk from 5 – 8 pm. Mis Tres Gallos food truck will be in the courtyard serving up some delicious authentic Mexican food!

Programs

Sundays at 3:00, The Galapagos Islands: A Model of Conservation Successes and Ecotourism, April 7 | 3 p.m. | Turner Auditorium. Free to the public; does not include Museum admission.  April is Earth Month, a time to celebrate our planet and take action to protect it. For this month’s Sundays at 3:00 lecture, join Dr. Jack W. Sites Jr. for a deep dive into the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Archipelago remains one of the most ecologically intact oceanic archipelagos on earth, and its unique climate, limited human settlement and relative isolation has resulted in the evolution of unique flora and fauna. Science-based species recovery efforts have achieved some spectacular results here, which deserve to be widely appreciated. Dr. Sites is a retired Professor of Biology and Curator of Herpetology at Brigham Young University and an adjunct Professor of Biology at Austin Peay State University. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. Register today at customshousemuseum.org/events.

Storytime & Craft: Fool-ish Birds, April 4 | 1:30 p.m. | All ages, with adult.  Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Join us as we read two stories filled with adventure, love, friendship and the wonders of nature. The Song of Spring by Hendrik Jonas and Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman are sure to spark your imagination! Inspired by the stories, we’ll be crafting charming bird’s nests nestled in trees using a variety of materials. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Storytime & Craft: Earth Day, April 18 | 1:30 p.m. | All ages, with adult. Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Get ready for an eco-friendly adventure with us as we read the fun tales of How the Crayons Saved the Earth by Monica Sweeney and Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel. Inspired by the themes of recycling and environmental awareness, we’ll be making our very own windsocks using a variety of vibrant materials. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Sunday Studio: Painting with Sarah Spillers, April 21 | 2 p.m. | Third Sunday of each month. Free, with registration required; does not include Museum admission. Sunday Studio is a new workshop series for adults in partnership with APSU’s Community School of the Arts! This month, we’re celebrating springtime with a beautiful, rainy-day masterpiece!  Whether you are a beginner or have painting experience, this workshop is designed to help you develop your skills and express your creativity. This workshop is free, and all materials are included, but registration is required. For ages 16+.  Registration opens March 18 at customshousemuseum.org.

Family Art Saturday: Baby Chicks Fork Painting, April 27 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Ages 3+, with adult. Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. This month’s Family Art Saturday is sure to whisk you away as we explore the charming technique of fork painting. Unleash your imagination as you wield your fork as a paintbrush, creating intricate lines and patterns that will bring adorable baby chicks to life on canvas. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Homeschool Fieldtrip Day, April 2 | 10:30 a.m. | All ages, with adult. Free for Museum members; $3 per student and $5 per adult for nonmembers. Every semester, local homeschool groups are invited to experience an unforgettable day of exploration and learning. For more information on how to register, contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at stephanie@customshousemuseum.org.

F&M Bank Huff & Puff Express Model Trains, exhibit open daily | Trains run Sundays 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesdays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and the last Saturday of each month 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.   Our model train exhibit is open daily, and themes change every season – so stick around, because soon it is going to be springtime along the Huff & Puff Express!